A Nightmarish Day
by TheBlazeWithin
Summary: It's a normal day for the Elric family until they get a visit from unexpected visitors. This story is based on Ed and Al after the events of FMA:Brotherhood. Contains: - Violence
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: The Visitor**

We were a normal, small family, living in the countryside. Father left for work in the city and Mother stayed at home to care for my brother, Edward, and me. Everything that day was going normally; Mother was in the kitchen, cooking food for our dinner that filled each room with a welcoming smell that embraced anyone who entered; and Brother was in the garden, chopping wood for the fireplace with a small hatchet he created with alchemy. Father had been gone for over an hour but knowing his walking pace, he had just got to work.

There was a knock on the door. I got up from my chair and wandered over. Cautiously opening it, I was greeted by three strangers. "Are your parents home?" one asked. I turned to see Mother standing over me.  
"Can I help you?" she questioned, gripping a concealed knife under the towel in her hands. Looking up at her, I could see her eyes scanning over the men at the door. Her breathing was heavy and her eyes were filling with fear.  
"We're just looking for a pretty lady to have a good time with." the man claimed, his raspy voice sending chills down my spine.  
"You won't find one here, so leave!" Mother attempted to close the door but the man stuck his foot in the way and another pushed his way into the house.  
"Come on, baby. Don't be like that." He placed his hand on Mother's arm and clamped his fingers around it. She frantically tried to pull her arm from the man's grasp, turning to me and yelling "Why are you just standing there? Get out of here!"

I spun and ran to the back door, throwing it open and dived out, hiding around the corner where Brother spotted me. "What's up? Playing hide-and-seek with Mom again?" he asked, oblivious to what was happening inside. I opened my mouth to explain what happened but nothing came out. He stood in front of me and pulled me up by my hand, lifting me off of my feet in his usual manner. We headed back to the door and peeked through the window. Brother clutched his hatchet firmly and pushed the door open gently.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: The Fight**

The large, brutish men were grouped in a corner. One was holding his arm, keeping pressure on a wound he had recently received. He knelt down and snagged a blood-covered knife from the floor.  
"Stupid bitch, that's what happens when you say no." he grunted. "Where the hell is the little brat? Find him." The three men spread out and began to ransack the house. Brother crept through the door and snuck to the kitchen.  
"Wait here," he whispered. "I'll be back soon. I promise." With that, he began stalking one of the men. I glanced around the corner and saw Brother behind one of the men. With a sudden burst of energy, he leapt into the air and hacked into the man's neck. Brother caught the body before it fell and lowered the corpse to the ground. Silently, he left the body and sought out the next attacker.

I retreated into the corner, tucking my legs up to my chest and covered my mouth. I could feel my heart thumping in my chest like a crazed animal trying to escape its cage. My throat tightened and breathing became painful. I peered through the door and was greeted by the beastly face of the last man. I fell back and a scream exploded out of my throat, quickly muffled by the man's hand. "Shut it, or you'll end up like mommy over there" he hissed. "Now tell me, where's your brother?" A hand tapped on his shoulder and he turned.  
"Here" the owner of the hand growled. Light glared off the blade that was swung with unbelievable strength, sending the brute plummeting to the ground beside me. "Get up, now!" Brother yelled. He glanced down at the body and kicked it.

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" Brother asked shakily. I nodded, as fear kept my voice trapped. "Good." He took my hand and headed to the door. Something caught onto my shirt and pulled me away from Brother's grip. "You bastard, I'll teach you for trying to knock me out!" a voice bellowed. It was the man that Brother had tried to kill before saving me. Throwing me to the floor, he advanced towards Brother, clenching his fist around his knife and swung for his neck. "Get up! Come on!" Brother yelled at me. "Come on, stop lying there and get up!"

I gasped, opening my eyes in fear and panic. I was lying in my bed. I bit my lip, realising that what happened was just a dream. Brother was standing beside me, trying to rouse me from my sleep. "Come on, get up."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: The ****awakening**

I pushed myself up, rubbed my eyes and looked at Brother. He had a bag over his shoulder and a look of smugness over his face.  
"Haven't forgotten what today is, have you Al?" His smirk grew wider as he took off the bag and opened it. Confused, I looked around the room. It was decorated with banners which read 'Happy Birthday!'  
"It's... Your birthday?" I replied shakily. He sighed, shaking his head.  
"Nope, it's yours!" he pulled out an apple pie from his bag and placed it on my lap. "Happy birthday, Al!"

A few hours passed and we were celebrating at Winry's house. We were sitting around the table when Ed asked "Did you have a nightmare last night, Al? You looked like you saw a ghost when you woke up." My throat tightens as I think about the dream. I slowly retell it, trying to hold back from crying.  
"Aww, that sounds awful, Al" Winry said sympathetically. "It's a good thing that it was just a dream." She rose from her chair and hugged me tightly. "Don't worry, we'll be here to protect you if that does ever happen!"  
I nodded, letting out a sigh of relief. We all left the table and went outside. We sat on a hill looking over where our house used to be. We were there, talking about what we could do to celebrate Ed's self-promotion to 'Saviour of Central' when Pinako called us back for dinner.

When we got back, each room was full of welcoming smells that embraced anyone who entered. Brother offered to go out and cut wood for the fire and Winry helped Pinako with the food. I sat back in my chair, slowly relaxing and becoming more tired. That soon ended when there was a knock on the door.


End file.
